Varnish



UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFICEQII EDMUND N. TODD, OF NElVARK, NEV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE CELLU- LOID MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NElV YORK.

VARNISH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,264, dated April 14, 1891.

Application filed A ril 25, 1888. Serial No; 271,839. (No specimens.)

To all whom, it may concern: with acetic acid in the usual way of making Be it known that I, EDMUND NEVILLE TODD, amyl acetate from fusel-oil; but I use less a citizen of the United States, residing at Newacetic acid to the proportion of fusel-oil than ark, in the county of Essex, State of New Jeris required when the amyl acetate is made 55 sey,haveinvented anew and useful Process of from the fusel-oil alone. Thus, for instance, Making a Solvent Ingredient Useful for Py- I may use say two and one-half gallons of roxyline and other Varnishes, of which the acetic acid to eight gallons of the mixture of following is a specification. fusel-oil and benzine.

My invention embodies an improved pro- The distillate formed by this process is an 60 1o cess for the production of an amyl-acetate active solvent of pyroxyline, to which more benzine solvent, which is produced at a relabenzine can be added if required, and besides, tively lower cost or by the use of a smaller being anhydrous and consequently valuable quantity of acetic acid than is necessary when for the manufacture of varnishes or lacquers,

the ordinary process is employed. possesses a solvent strength which a simple 65 The ingredient which has been found most mixture of benzine and am '1 acetate does not useful in pyroxyline varnishes is amyl acehave; or, in other words, the distillate is a tate, and the solution consisting of pyroxylinc stronger solvent than could be expected from and amyl acetate would have valuable propa simple knowledge derived from experience erties; but owing to the comparatively great of mixtures of benzine and amyl acetate sepa- 7o expense of amyl acetate, and the necessity of rately or combined in the usual way.

using with it some thinning-liquid in order to I have compared my new solvent, made in obtain the proper consistency, it has not been the way just specified, with a mixture of amyl practicable to use it alone. A compound of acetate and benzine; but it will be evident to amyl acetate and benzine alone has been well those having a knowledge of the different 75 2 5 known as a useful solvent of pyroxyline for fusel-oils or by-products accompanying the varnishes; but the ingredients the process of manufacture of ethyl alcohol thatin a strict making which is herein described, and which chemical sense my distillate is not a mixture I have called an amyl-aeetate-benzine solvof amyl acetate and benzine; but I employ ent, is superior to a simple mixture of amyl the word in a commercial sense from a knowl- 8c acetate and benzine, and has qualities which edge that generically all the f usel-oils have a compound of those two substances formed received the commercial designation of amyl by a simple admixture would not lead a peralcohol from the fact that such fusel-oils 0011-, son to expect. tain usually an excess of amyl alcohol over According to my process I first mix fuselthe other ingredients, and that the product of 85 oil (by which I mean those bodies or comdistilling acetic acid with fusel-oilis commerpounds which accompany the distillation of cially termed acetate of amyl, but, as preethyl alcohol, being by-products of the disviously stated in thisspecitlcation, I use the tillation of ethyl alcohol, possessing higher words fusel-oil as meaning all the by-proboiling-points, and all of which may be classed ducts accompanying the production of ethyl 0 under the generic name of fusel-oil on acalcohol having a higher boiling-pointthan count of their bad odor and other characterethyl alcohol. istics) and a suitable hydrocarbon, such as I have specified benzine as a useful solvent benzine-say in the proportion of ten barrels to mix with the fusel-oil; but I do not limit of fusel-oil and one barrel of benzine. The myself to the use of benzine, as any suitable 95 appearance of this mixture is similarin being hydrocarbon or product of petroleum of cloudy to a mixture of amyl acetate and benabout the right consistency may be used with zine; but being allowed to stand, the watery good results-such, for instance, as kerosene. liquid settles down from the mixture, which Nor do I limit myself to petroleum hydrothen becomes clear. I then draw off or sepacarbons, for common turpentine or othermem- 1o: rate the watery part of this mixture and disbers of the class of volatile vegetable hydrotill the clear mixture of benzine and fnsel-oil carbons of which it is a representativesuch as oil of origannm or oil of spruccare also effective; but benzine is the hydrocarbon which I specially recommend as being preferable to all other ingredients which, according to my experience, can be used, and this on account of its very desirable properties of cleanliness, freedom from color, or any tendency to oxidize or change, as well as its cheapness and high volatility.

My new solvent, or distillate from a mixture of fusel-oil and a suitable hydrocarbon, as above specified, is a useful ingredient for the usual gum-varnishes, such as shellac, copal, &c., and I therefore do not limit myself to its use with a pyroxyline varnish.

Of course I do not limit myself to the exact proportions of the ingredients from which I produce my distillate or to the employment of free acetic acid, because such proportions may be varied without departing from my process, and acetates may be substituted for the acetic acid, as is well known.

lVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The process herein describedof making a distillate by first mixing fusel oil and a suitable hydrocarbon; second, separating the watery part therefrom, and, third, distilling the mixture with acetic acid, substantially as described.

2. The process herein described of making a distillate by first mixing fusel-oil and benzine; second, separating the watery part-there from, and, third, distilling such mixture with acetic acid, substantially as described.

3. The improved solvent consisting of a distillate of fusel-oil, a suitable hydrocarbon, and acetic acid, substantially as herein described.

4. The improved solvent consisting of a distillate of fusel-oil, benzine, and acetic acid, substantially as herein described.

New York, April 23,1888.

EDMUND N. TODD.

Witnesses:

HENRY E. EVERDING,- J. NOTTINGHAM WILLIAMS. 

